| The Role of Ottawa Public Health's Food Safety Program |
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Food premises are inspected once, twice or three times each year, depending on the type of establishment, the food preparation processes, the volume and type of food served as well as other criteria, as defined by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.
Food Premises Inspection Frequency Chart
| Risk | Definition | Example | Minimum number of inspections |
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| High-risk |
Prepares and handles large quantity of hazardous foods (such as poultry, fish, and beef) that are often involved with foodborne illness.
Serves a high risk population.
Uses multi-step preparation for processing food - such as defrosting, cooking, cooling, storing, reheating, preparing, hot holding, slicing, de-boning, mixing, and serving.
Has been implicated in the past with foodborne illness may also be considered a high-risk food establishment.
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Restaurants, banquet halls, institutional kitchens and cafeterias |
3 times per year |
| Moderate-risk |
Prepares hazardous foods, but to a lesser degree than the criteria outlined in high risk food establishments.
Prepares non-hazardous foods with extensive handling and/or high volume of patrons.
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Bakeries |
2 times per year |
| Low-risk |
Prepares and/or serves non-hazardous foods with a lesser degree of handling and/or smaller volume of patrons.
Has a food storage facility for non-hazardous foods only.
Main public health concern is related to sanitation and maintenance.
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Variety stores |
1 time per year |
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| Responsibility of Retail Food Premises |
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All food premises must comply with the minimum requirements set out in the Ontario Food Premises Regulation under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. OPH monitors food safety in Ottawa restaurants, cafeterias, and other food premises through regular inspections. During these inspections, Public Health Inspectors observe aspects of food production and operation to confirm that businesses are complying with provincial regulations. If an Inspector notes any infractions during his/her inspection, he/she will return with the expectation that all outstanding infractions have been corrected. Although routine inspections are unannounced, inspection results reflect the observations of a Public Health Inspector at the time of inspection.
Some of the infractions PHIs observe include:
| Infraction Type | Example (not an exhaustive list) |
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Critical Infraction
An infraction that presents an immediate or potential health risk.
These items directly involve food, such as contamination, time-temperature abuse or any other condition that could be a potential health hazard.
These items must be corrected immediately.
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- Hazardous foods - such as poultry, meat, fish and shellfish - are not processed in a manner that makes them safe to eat
- Ready-to-eat foods contaminated by being in contact with raw foods, chemicals or pesticides
- A potential for food contamination due to insect or rodent infestation at the food establishment
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Non-Critical Infraction
An infraction that presents a minimal health risk.
Generally, remedial action is required by the next scheduled inspection.
NOTE: In the event that the operator requires more time to correct an infraction, a Work Action Plan will be initiated and the timeframe for compliance will be at the discretion of the PHI.
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- Cleaning and maintaining food preparation equipment is impeded by either their design or how they are arranged in the kitchen
- Food handlers are not wearing clean aprons and/or hair restraints
- Lack of approved testing methods to measure the sanitizer concentration in the dishwashers
- Insect and vermin-proof containers are not provided where required
- Garbage has not been removed to maintain clean, sanitary conditions on the premises
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| Online Food Inspection Disclosure |
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Research has shown that disclosure systems improve compliance with food safety legislation and enhance food safety standards in retail food business establishments. Inspection results are made available to the public on OPH's food safety disclosure website. Inspection results are uploaded to the website within two business days after they are completed and remain online for two years.
Consultations conducted by OPH have shown that residents want more accessible information about the results of food safety inspections. In response to feedback from the public, OPH is using an online disclosure system that aims to make inspection results more clear for the public, to improve food safety standards, to recognize businesses that consistently uphold food safety practices and to reduce the risk of food-borne illness.
The online disclosure uses a colour rating system to display inspection results.
Legend of colour rating system:
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Colour
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Definition
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Green
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A Public Health Inspector (PHI) inspected the food premises and approved it for operation.
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Yellow
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A Public Health Inspector (PHI) inspected the food premises and approved it for operation but observed one or more critical infractions that were not corrected during the inspection.
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Red
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A Public Health Inspector (PHI) inspected the food premises, did not approve it for operation, and has closed the food premises.
- s/he observed one or more health hazard infractions during the inspection. In these instances, a PHI will issue an Order, under section 13 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, requiring the operator to close the establishment to eliminate the health hazard.
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| Food Inspection Disclosure FAQs |
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What does a green, yellow or red rating mean?
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A green rating means that a premise has been inspected and is approved for operation. Premises that are green had no infractions, or semi-critical and/or non-critical infractions, observed at the time of the inspection. Premises may also be disclosed as green if any critical infractions observed during an inspection were corrected at the time of inspection
A yellow rating means that a premises has been inspected, is approved for operation, but one or more critical infractions were observed that were not corrected during that inspection. A yellow rating from an inspection before December 2018 means that legal action was taken as a result of that inspection.
A red rating means a premises has been closed due to the immediate presence of a health hazard.
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Where will the results of inspections be displayed?
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Inspection results will be displayed on OPH's food premises disclosure website. The colour of the inspection will be connected with the date on which a Public Health Inspector visited the premises.
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| When will the results of inspections be posted? |
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Inspection results are uploaded to OPH's food premises disclosure website within two business days after they are completed and remain online for two years.
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What does legal action mean?
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Legal action for repeat offences or identified health hazards can result in penalties such as a Provincial Offence Notice(s) (ticket), a summons to appear in court and/or closure.
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If a food premises is closed and receives a red rating, will they also receive a ticket?
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Yes. When a health hazard is identified, an Order to Close, as well as a ticket, may be issued to the food premises. Exceptions may occur when a food premises is forced to close for reasons outside of their control, such as a water main being shut off.
NOTE: Prior to December 2018, food premises were disclosed as yellow when a Public Health Inspector (PHI) inspected the food premises and approved it for operation but legal action had been taken (including tickets, orders under the HPPA and/or court action)
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Why is OPH using a green/yellow/red colour rating system?
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At the direction of the Ottawa Board of Health, OPH looked at a number of different disclosure systems and chose a model that provides a clear food safety picture to the public and which also provides positive reinforcement to those premises demonstrating good food safety practices.
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Will green/yellow/red signs be posted at the front of restaurants in Ottawa?
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At this time, the OPH disclosure system is online only on OPH's food premises disclosure website.
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How long will a green/yellow/red colour remain on a food premises' online inspection report?
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OPH displays the results of inspections on OPH's food premises disclosure website for two years. Subsequent inspections will show the colour that reflects the results of that particular inspection.
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Will the colour rating system change the way inspections are done?
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| No – Public Health Inspectors will continue to inspect food premises to ensure compliance with Ontario Food Premises Regulation 493/17. The frequency food premises are inspected is based on a risk assessment, conducted by the Public Health Inspector, that determines the risk of a premises and the number of times it is required to be inspected each year, as outlined in the food premises inspection frequency chart. |
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| Food Safety Program FAQs |
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How do I report a restaurant or make a complaint?
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Call 613-580-6744 to speak with a public health inspector during regular business hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm or 613-580-2400 or 3-1-1 after hours.
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What types of food establishments are inspected?
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Food establishments such as: bakeries, bars, cafeterias, canteens, coffee shops, convenience food counters, day care kitchens, grocery delis, mobile food vendors, pizzerias, pubs, restaurants, special event food vendors and retail stores with food preparation are inspected by Ottawa Public Health.
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What do Public Heath Inspectors look for during an inspection?
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| Public health inspectors monitor all aspects of food operation to confirm that businesses are complying with provincial regulations (Ontario Food Premises Regulation 493). Violations are categorized as critical infractions and non-critical infractions. |
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What constitutes a critical infraction?
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These are infractions that could contribute to foodborne illness.
Some examples are:
- hazardous foods - such as poultry, meat, fish and shellfish - are not processed in a manner to make them safe to eat
- ready-to-eat foods contaminated by being in contact with raw foods, chemicals or pesticides
- a potential for food contamination due to insect or rodent infestation at the food establishment
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What constitutes a non-critical infraction?
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These are infractions that impact on the overall sanitary condition of the food establishment. However, they do not directly contribute to foodborne illness.
- cleaning and maintaining food preparation equipment is impeded by either their design or how they are arranged in the kitchen
- food handlers are not wearing clean aprons and/or hair restraints
- lack of approved testing methods to measure the sanitizer concentration in the dishwashers
- insect and vermin-proof containers are not provided where required
- garbage has not been removed to maintain clean, sanitary conditions on the premises
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What constitutes a high-risk food establishment? (Minimum of three inspections per year)
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- a high risk food establishment is a premises that prepares and handles large quantity of hazardous foods (such as poultry, fish, and beef) that are often involved with foodborne illness - like restaurants, banquet halls and cafeterias)
- it may also use multi-step preparation for processing food - such as defrosting, cooking, cooling, storing, reheating, preparing, hot holding, slicing, de-boning, mixing, and serving
- establishments implicated in the past with foodborne illness may also be considered a high-risk food establishment
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What constitutes a medium risk food establishment? (Minimum of two inspections per year)
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- a medium risk food establishment is a premises prepares hazardous foods to a lesser degree than the criteria outlined in high risk food establishments
- a medium-risk establishment prepares non-hazardous foods with extensive handling and/or high volume of patrons (e.g. bakeries)
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What constitutes a low risk food establishment? (Minimum of one inspection per year)
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- a low risk food establishment is a premises, that prepares and/or serves non-hazardous foods with a lesser degree of handling and/or smaller volume of patrons
- the premises has a food storage facility for non-hazardous foods only
- the low-risk category also applies to food establishments - such as variety stores - where the main public health concern is sanitation and maintenance
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| What are the timeframes for a food establishment to correct any deficiency? |
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Critical infractions that pose an immediate risk of foodborne illness must be corrected immediately. For non-critical infractions, the timing of the follow-up inspection is at the discretion of the public health inspector. Very often, minor deficiencies are followed up within three business days or as identified by the public health inspector and the food establishment operator.
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| What actions are taken if a critical infraction is not corrected? |
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Public health inspectors have many options and means to bring about compliance with food safety standards and regulations. The first priority is to educate the food establishment owner or operator. If the education fails, enforcement options will be used - including fines, prosecution and closure.
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| What types of infractions could result in a closure order? |
A closure can be ordered if a health hazard is found at a food establishment, and it is not corrected. Examples of the health hazards include:
- extensive evidence of food contamination
- insufficient amount of potable water to operate the food establishment in a sanitary fashion
- sewage back-up into food preparation or storage areas
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